Corruption in Russia's North Caucasus republics threatens national security and directly aids militants, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a meeting of a presidential council on developing civil society, Medvedev said corruption in the volatile region "threatens national security and weakens state and social institutions."

He also said that "Unfortunately, corruption in this region is a fact of direct aid to separatists."

At the same meeting, the head of the Civil Dignity movement said that certain courts in the region had no credibility whatsoever.

"In a range of North Caucasus republics - I won't name in which ones right now - the courts are totally discredited," Ella Pamfilova said. "Something needs to be done about this."

However, Medvedev, a former lawyer, dismissed her comments, saying he was "categorically against such remarks" because they could lead to a "collapse of the legal system."

"Yes, among our judges there are people who take bribes and are afraid to make decisions," Medvedev admitted, saying however that "These are our courts and we are to implement their decisions."

He also singled out unemployment as a major problem in the region.

"The total number of unemployed of working age in the region is over 800,000. This is around 20%, but if we include the unregistered [jobless] this number is much bigger," he said.

MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti)